Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

Snow returns briefly on Friday, before conditions warm and skies clear into the weekend.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: A mix of cloud and clear breaks. Moderate westerly winds. A chance of isolated low density flurries. Freezing levels at valley bottom.

THURSDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks. Strong westerly winds ease over the day. Chance of flurries. Alpine high of -7. Freezing level valley bottom. 

FRIDAY: Cloudy with 10cm of snow and strong southwest winds. Alpine high of -5. Freezing levels around 700 m. 

SATURDAY: Strong westerly winds at ridge top. Cloudy with a chance of flurries. Alpine high of 0, as freezing levels rise to 1600 m over the day. 

Several skier triggered wind slabs were reported on Tuesday, including one size 2 skier remote. All were observed in wind loaded terrain from west/southwest winds around 2000 m elevation, failing the buried surface hoar layer. Several size 1 loose dry avalanches were also reported, mostly in steep terrain features. 

On Monday, a natural avalanche cycle was observed mid storm producing storm slabs to size 1.5. Storm slabs were also triggered from ski cutting and explosive control work to size 2. 

At lower elevations up to 30cm of storm snow sits over a melt freeze crust. In sheltered terrain a widespread layer of large surface hoar crystals sits immediately above the crust, sensitive to human triggers.

At higher elevations the storm snow is being redistributed by moderate to strong westerly winds. A thin melt freeze crust extends into the alpine on solar aspects. This crust may sit on the surface in exposed terrain, or below wind deposited snow in sheltered features. 

The upper snowpack then consists of several crusts and surface hoar layers, 30-70 cm deep. Recent reactivity has appeared limited to the storm snow and most recent surface hoar. 

The early December crust/facet persistent weak layer is buried down 100-200 cm and has been responsible for significant avalanche activity in this region. The layer is now considered dormant, but still remains a concern and we will continue to track it in the snowpack. See the most recent forecaster blog on how to manage this layer, as it will come into play again later this season. 

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Approach steep open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, buried surface hoar may exist.
• Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.